The Fields of Duscur in Bloom
by BroomballKraken
Summary: After the war, Dedue stands in a field of beautiful flowers in Duscur, reminiscing about how he came to be here, with the love of his life standing at his side.


The fields of Duscur in bloom were a beautiful sight, but had been all but destroyed in the utter devastation caused by the Tragedy of Duscur. Dedue had many memories of gathering various flowers with his sister, and learning how to plant them himself from his mother. He never thought that he would ever see the fields looking beautifully awash with all the colors of the rainbow ever again, but here he was, standing on the edge of one such field. The best part of it was that he was not here alone.

"Dedue, these flowers...they're so beautiful."

"Indeed." Dedue said as he turned to Byleth, a fond smile crossing his face. Her mint green eyes were wide and alight with joy, and the beautiful smile on her face gave him pause. When he had first met her, that day so long ago when she became the professor for the Blue Lion House, she had been oddly similar to himself: stoic, rarely expressing emotion, and brutal on the battlefield.

At the beginning of her tenure as professor, Byleth had mostly kept to herself and observed her students from afar. So Dedue had found it quite odd when she ended up in the greenhouse with him one day, helping him water the flowers and exchanging only a few words. He had enjoyed the quiet company, which surprised him, and he had been even more surprised when Byleth had started visiting the greenhouse more frequently when he was also there.

One such time, the subject of Dedue's family was brought up. It was an innocent question Byleth had asked, after he offhandedly mentioned his sister: _Where is your sister now?_

_Dead._ That had been his blunt response. He had thought that the discussion would have ended there, but he could not stop himself continuing to talk about Duscur. Byleth was attentive, but blank-faced as usual, making it hard for him to discern her emotions.

She remarked on how unusual it was for Dedue to speak so much, and he himself was perplexed by that as well. He had quickly shifted the topic of conversation by offering her a warning to stay away from him. He did not want her reputation to be soured by interacting with a man from Duscur. A flash of irritation appeared briefly in Byleth's eyes, and Dedue wondered if he had imagined it.

_I don't care what other people think._ She had said it with such conviction that Dedue almost believed that it was okay. He knew deep down that it was not, that people would indeed judge her for just being anywhere near him, let alone engaging in any kind of lengthy conversation. Nonetheless, he did appreciate her words, and he said as much. A moment of silence passed before Byleth did something that caused Dedue's eyes to widen with surprise: she _smiled_ at him.

It was a small, brief smile, but it was the first that he had ever seen cross her face, and Dedue could not help but think that it was a beautiful sight. The thought immediately embarrassed him, and the flush that appeared on his face prompted Byleth to ask him if he was feeling sick, and he quickly deflected by pointing out which flowers still needed to be watered.

Time seemed to pass quickly, and when the night of the ball had finally come, Dedue was not surprised when most people avoided him. He opted to linger at the back of the ballroom, despite the urging from his fellow classmates and His Highness to join in on the dancing. He knew that his presence would be off-putting to most, and he did not want to make anyone uncomfortable.

After watching the dancing for a while, the room became a bit too warm and stuffy, so Dedue retreated outside. He made his way to the Goddess Tower, thinking that it would be a quiet, secluded place to cool down. He was surprised when he ascended the stairs and found Byleth at the top of the tower, gazing out at the star-filled sky with that familiar stoic expression. He paused and watched her for a moment, admiring how ethereal she looked bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight. Byleth turned towards him when she heard his heavy footsteps as he moved to stand beside her.

_What are you doing here?_ He had asked, and she turned his question back at him, a curious glint flashing in her eye that Dedue had barely caught. They had spent enough time together in the greenhouse that he was starting to notice Byleth's emotional cues that manifested in very subtle ways.

His answer was simple: He did not wish to be a nuisance to his classmates and, most importantly, His Highness. Her eyes narrowed ever-so-slightly at that, but Dedue continued nonetheless, wondering aloud why she was here when so many people wanted to see her, unlike him. She said simply that she needed to get away from the crowds for a while, and they fell into a familiar, comfortable silence as they both gazed up at the stars.

Her presence always seemed to put him at ease enough to speak about whatever was on his mind, so he talked about the stars, and the stories he had heard about the Goddess granting special wishes at the Goddess Tower on this particular night. He talked about the similar legends in Duscur culture, and out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Byleth was now looking at him, her full attention focused on him. She always seemed so interested when Dedue talked about his homeland, and that made him feel strangely warm.

_Is there an oath that you would like to make? _Dedue had asked, knowing full well that she would say no. Why would she make an oath with him of all people? Dedue watched as Byleth turned to look at the stars again, and her lips turned up in a small smile. The rare sight never failed to give him pause, and his eyes widened with shock when she gave him her answer.

_I swear to work towards peace for all of Fódlan._ Dedue thought that it was an impossible wish, and he said as much, but as he turned to face her, he knew that he had an oath to make of his own, to her and her alone. Her eyes widened in a very rare showing of surprise, and the corners of Dedue's lips twitched upwards, not quite a smile, but the closest he had come to one in quite some time.

Dedue swore that they would look upon these same stars again, when His Highness had led them to a more tranquil age. Byleth nodded, saying that his oath was worthy, and a warmth bubbled up within him, though he did not know exactly why, only that it had something to do with her. They finally made their way back to the ball, with Dedue's coat draped over Byleth's shoulders, and, thanks to her, he finally learned how to dance that night.

How quickly things had taken a turn for the worse after that night of celebration and joy. Those five long years of war, narrowly-avoided execution, running for his life, and fighting desperately in order to reunite with His Majesty were some of the worst years of Dedue's life, and he had already had more than his fair share of awful experiences.

There was a light at the end of those dark times, however, and Dedue eventually did reunite with His Highness, and in turn, Byleth. He had expected to be overjoyed when he finally saw his liege, but the amount of happiness he had felt when Byleth approached confused him.

_I'm glad that you're okay, Dedue. Welcome back._ she had said, as she placed a hand on his arm and smiled up at him. That smile...it was different from those she wore five years ago. Even in this time of war, it was brighter than it had ever been before. A warmth that he had felt before, but never this strongly, suddenly blossomed within Dedue, and he only felt it when he was looking at Byleth. He was at a loss as to what it meant.

As the war continued on, Dedue found a semblance of peace tending to the flowers in the greenhouse, just like he did during his days while attending the academy. And once again, Byleth eventually joined him, helping to tend to the flowers in their usual comfortable silence. But he could not stay silent for long. He had a lot on his mind, specifically concerning her.

Dedue started by thanking her for watching out for His Majesty in his absence, and he quickly moved into scolding her for putting herself into harm's way too often in battle. She tried to protest, but he would not have it. Every time he watched her block a hit meant for an ally, his heart skipped a beat, and it was fear that caused it. The fear of losing her was something very new and something he felt strongly about, and Dedue had finally figured out the reason why: he was in love with Byleth.

Byleth was unlike anyone he had ever met before. She had an inner strength that he greatly admired, and her outer strength was impressive in its own right. She was a kind and patient teacher, and had slowly grown from an expressionless stoic to a canvas of emotion, and Dedue was floored by the beauty of that transformation. She had always seen him as his own person, not just as a man whose people killed the former King of Faerghus, and she openly defended him from the harsh comments directed his way. How could he have not fallen in love with her?

Dedue tried to downplay his feelings of fear, saying that the army could not afford to lose an asset like her, but he couldn't help but add that the greenhouse would be lonely without her. A small smile crossed her face, along with a dusting of pink on her cheeks, and Dedue's heart skipped a beat. He almost told her how he felt about her then and there, but he held his tongue. He would wait until after the war, when they both were not distracted by fighting for their lives and the lives of many others. Instead, he left her with a promise: _Until I can show you the fields of Duscur in bloom, I will go on living._

After many hard fought battles, the war finally ended. Dedue traveled with His Highness to Fhirdiad to witness his coronation as King, but soon after, he had asked to leave his service. To Dedue's surprise, Dimitri only smiled, nodding as he asked to see the ring that Dedue was planning on giving to Byleth. Dedue had not expected His Highness to guess why he was leaving, and Dedue had mixed feelings on how easily he had let him go. But, it was a necessary thing that needed to happen if he wanted to ask for Byleth's hand in marriage.

Dedue had found her in the Goddess Tower when he made the trip back to Garreg Mach, and she looked as beautiful as ever, gazing out at the stars just has she had been the night of the ball all those years ago. The sight gave him pause, and he announced his presence when he recovered. Byleth turned towards him, her eyes wide with surprise as she asked what he was doing here.

_I needed to speak with you._ Dedue had said, a light blush crossing his face as a lump started to form in his throat. He couldn't afford to freeze up now, so he pushed through the nerves, telling her that he had left His Majesty's service. The look of shock that crossed her face made him smile; it was an adorable look. She voiced the fact that it was unbelievable, and Dedue knew that it was now or never.

With slightly trembling hands, he pulled a small box from his pocket and opened it, revealing the silver ring nestled inside, the emerald stone on it shimmering in the moonlight. Somehow, Byleth's eyes widened even more, and her jaw hung open in awe.

_I have come to ask for your hand in marriage...I adore you._ Dedue's heart was hammering hard in his chest as the words came out, and he braced himself for her inevitable rejection. After the shock faded, Byleth's face lit up, and she said yes.

Dedue blinked at her, not sure if he had heard her right. She said...yes? She wanted to marry him? Byleth continued to gaze at him, her face flushing red as she smiled fondly, and Dedue thought that he would melt right then and there. He did not think that he was anywhere near interesting enough to be her husband, and he said as much, but she just shook her head and reached into her pocket, pulling out a beautiful ring and exchanging it with his. The ring was much too small to fit on his finger, but Byleth said that they could probably get it resized. Still, he remained overjoyed at this turn of events, and he gently took her hand in his.

_Will you come with me, right now, on a journey? I promised to show you the fields of Duscur in bloom._ It was a sudden request, he knew, but Byleth eagerly accepted, and they embraced under the moonlight. It had been a fine night, and the finest in his life so far.

"Dedue?"

Snapped from his thoughts, Dedue looked down at Byleth, who smiled at him and gently touched his arm.

"I am sorry, my dear. I let myself get lost in thought." he said, leaning down to softly kiss her forehead. She tilted her head at him as she raised a curious eyebrow.

"You had a really sweet smile on your face. What were you thinking about?" Byleth asked. Dedue let out a rumbling chuckle and took her hand, lifting it to his face so that he could place a chaste kiss on her ring.

"I was reminiscing...about us. About all of the moments, large and small, that have led us to where we are now. It seems too good to be true, that I am here with you as your future husband. I do not feel that I am worthy of the kind of overwhelming happiness that I am feeling." Byleth laughed and shook her head, cupping his face as she gently pulled him down so that her forehead was pressed against his.

"You're a wonderful man, Dedue. You deserve good things after all of the hardship you've overcome, and the many people you have helped out of the kindness of your heart." she said, pressing her lips softly to his. Dedue's face flushed and Byleth giggled when she pulled away.

"You...flatter me." Dedue said, flustered by her honest words. It was only recently that he really started to see himself as someone deserving of love and happiness of his own, so it still felt odd when Byleth showered him with compliments. It felt...undeserved, but she was slowly helping him to see that maybe he was worthy of the good things that life had given him.

Dedue wrapped his arms around Byleth from behind, pulling her flush against him as he rest his chin on her head. She hugged his arms and sighed contently, leaning back into his touch as they silently gazed over the field of beautiful flowers.

"Hey, Dedue?" Byleth asked for a while, and Dedue lifted his chin when she tilted her head back to look at him.

"Yes, darling?"

"You seemed really excited to show me these flowers. Do they have a cultural significance in Duscur?"

"Yes. They are used in all sorts of celebrations and festivals, but their most popular uses are for weddings...and as markers to be planted over the graves of the departed."

Byleth hummed, looking back across the field for a moment, before she turned around, placing her hands on Dedue's chest.

"Did you…" she started, but hesitated as she bit her lip. Dedue frowned in confusion, and he placed his hands on her shoulders, giving them a light squeeze of encouragement. She smiled and continued, "Did you make graves for your family?"

"No." Dedue said simply. The chaos during and after the Tragedy did not give him time to give his family a proper burial. Dedue's face darkened at the thought as he averted his gaze, but his eyes wandered back to Byleth when she reached up to cup his face, rubbing his cheeks gently with her thumbs.

"Well, there are plenty of flowers here. I know that we don't have anything to bury, but do you want to make graves for them anyway?" Byleth said. Dedue blinked at her for a moment, before he chuckled and tightened his arms around her, resting his head on hers again.

"I...would like that, yes. I think they would as well." he said, pulling away to smile down at her. Byleth returned the smile, and soon they were busy carefully digging up numerous flowers and arranging them into neat grave-sized beds. It took a while, and they both were now covered in dirt, but Dedue was glad that they had done it, and he could tell that his family was smiling down on him.

"Thank you, my dear, for this wonderful idea." Dedue said, taking Byleth's hand in his as they stood before the graves. A thought suddenly popped into his head, and he turned to Byleth, a small smile crossing his face.

"Would you like to make one for your father as well?" Dedue asked. Byleth looked up at him with wide eyes, but then she quickly looked away, shaking her head slowly.

"I...Would that really be okay? For my father's grave to be built next to your family?" A look of surprise crossed her face when Dedue burst out laughing, and he reached up to gently cup Byleth's face with his large, warm hands.

"Byleth, my darling," he said, leaning down to place a kiss on her forehead, "We are engaged to be married. The way I see it, you are already family. Your family is now my family, and the reverse is also true. I know that my parents and sister would have gladly accepted your father with open arms." Byleth gazed deep into his eyes, and a smile slowly returned to her face, and she nodded.

"Okay. Let's do it."

They made one last grave, and silently looked over them, fingers entwined as Dedue whispered Duscur prayers every once in a while. After he finished one, he heard Byleth sniff, and he turned to see that there were tears running down her face. Dedue turned towards her, a frown crossing his face as he reached up to wipe away her tears.

"Are you alright, my love?"

"Ah, I'll be okay." Byleth said, pressing her face to Dedue's chest when he pulled her into an embrace, and he silently held her as she cried softly in his arms. His own emotions were starting to become overwhelming, and a few tears fell down his own face.

"In my father's diary," Byleth started, lifting her head from Dedue's chest so that she could wipe her face, "he said that I never cried, even when I was a baby. The day he died was the first time I cried. I just...he really loved me, but I...I'm not sure that I ever was able to express to him how much I loved him too."

"Byleth," Dedue said, running his hand through her hair when he saw more tears welling up in her eyes, "as someone who has also struggled with expressing emotion in the past, I am empathetic to your fears. However, it was clear to me that you truly loved your father, and he loved you as well. You have nothing to be afraid of." A smile returned to Byleth's face as the last of her tears fell down her face, and Dedue quickly wiped them away, his hand lingering to cup her cheeks. Byleth giggled and reached up to cover his hands with her own.

"Thank you, Dedue. I love you."

"And I love you. I cannot wait until I can call you my wife, and spend a lifetime by your side." Dedue closed the distance between them and kissed her, and she eagerly kissed him back. When they pulled away, Byleth took Dedue's hands in hers as she tilted her head at him.

"Dedue, we should take some seeds from these flowers, so that we can grow our own for our wedding." Byleth said, an excited smile crossing her face. Dedue chuckled and lifted one of her hands to his face to place a kiss on her knuckles.

"That is a wonderful idea, my dear. It may take a while for them to grow, though."

"That's okay," Byleth said, leaning up to place a kiss on his cheek, "As long as you're with me to help grow them, I don't care how long it takes." Dedue smiled, nodding as they walked carefully among the flowers, hand-in-hand, gathering seeds from the most beautiful blooms. Dedue had always thought that the fields of Duscur in bloom were a wonderful sight to behold, but now, as he watched the woman that he loved frolic and laugh among those very flowers, the sight was the most beautiful he had ever seen.


End file.
